I started Psycho Factor Records in New Jersey, USA in 1997 to expose the world to a new type music I along w/ my close friends & band mates had conceived, & begun making in the 1990’s. This is an amalgamation of many styles of music including (but not limited to) Rock, Funk, Alternative, Metal, Electronic, Soul, Progressive, Punk, Jazz, Big Band, Old School R & B, Rap, Spoken Word & yes Pop. As these elements melded together some amounts of all of these styles would peek out at different times in varying amounts forcing it into it’s own genre I labeled - Psycho Funk Rock. Along w/ the sound came a rebellious spirit & attitude - aggressive in that “wake up from your day dream” kind of way, thought provoking & refreshing forcing you to think about things in radically new ways. Truly artistic in nature reaching down deep on levels felt more then expressed. First in line was Freak Party, a 6 piece duel guitar, duel brass, energetically fronted (by myself) ensemble w/ thunderous percussion & slap grooving bass. Their debut 7 song 1994 EP “No Heroes !” had all an underground band should offer. Raw & angst filled, when angry for a reason (not just ambiguous aggression), gritty at times & refreshingly beautiful at others. The electronic spiced arrangements were eclectic as were the lyrical topics, tempo & key changes.

Their follow up 1997 Full Length 13 song CD “Paint Yourself Green” rose the college radio ranks & was 18 add on the CMJ charts in December 1997. Now, less 1 guitar, a more stream line precision machine emerged. The songs were more progressive & poignant in tone & feel - both melodic & gripping w/ grooves that listeners hauntingly hung on to. Arrangements remained unexpected & parts challenged each other in a supportive grid lock, unbreakable “on the edge of too much” but never dropping off the cliff.

Their live shows remain legendary on the USA East Coast scene. Power charged, unexpected, razor sharp & unbelievably tight. In fact, for their second performance ever they crashed Woodstock 1994 & thru an unexpected & perhaps clandestine, chain of events commanded the stage for a 35 minute 8PM Saturday night prime time slot in front of thousands of fans who quickly became dedicated supporters. Known for stage & crowd banter that ranged from hilarious to confrontational, to come on stage dowsed in black light paint, morph arrangements to songs over time, use news reals for song intros, create industrial danceable outros, & arranging unique covers of both classic & obscure songs. The moment they entered a venue you knew they meant business & were unwaverabel comrades who put in countless hours of preparation for every moment on stage.

Technically disbanded (since December 10^th 1998), but never de-funked Freak Party continues to influence a whole new generation of Alternative Rockers.

Next in the lineage came Monkey Dancer a 4 piece Vocalist/Horn player fronted (again by myself), guitar driven crew w/ a powerfully thick rhythm section (drums provided by Joey Baron of Freak Party). More R & B soulfully funk oriented then its predecessor but equally grooving. The mood of the songs were up tempo juxtaposed to a dark melodic feel, delivered w/ a Punk attitude.

They set out to open minds and test new boundaries in music, explore new horizons & play with no rules. The release of their now sought after 3 song demo got alot of attention & local radio airplay. Explodeing on the scene they won over live crowds with their intensity & electric performances.

After a guitar player change a smoother line up completed an 8 song 1994 CD/EP entitled “Indelible” to both fan & critical acclaim. Unfortunately they have not played together since completing the disc due to some unavoidable geography changes. Even though their tenure was short, they truly left a lasting mark upon the musical landscape. Their spirit opened new dimensions in music and beyond and is here to stay.

The latest installment of Psycho Funk Rock (together since August 2005) is Honey Thick, w/ 80% of Freak Party reunited. Back to duel brass, & thunderous percussion (Joey Baron returns for the 3^rd time) w/ slick driving bass, huge melodic guitar (the new 20%), & aggressively fronted (guess who - me again).

Uncompromising the sound is smooth yet dark, melodic yet chaotic, intense yet inspiring. The attitude is focused, pointed & socially conscious, delivered honestly & w/ hairsplitting accuracy. Tongue planted firm in cheek at times, they are a band not unaware of the fact that they are both artists & entertainers. A must see live act, exponentially expansive, w/ each performance new heights are achieve.

Their forthcoming 9 song CD/EP “Who Does That ?” is already buzz worthy w/ internet glimpses abound & talk of movie & gaming sound track possibilities. Stay tuned for the history of this project is yet unwritten therefore the most intriguing.

Pulling together all the elements of every incarnation this is the pinnacle of what this enigma Psycho Funk Rock is supposed to be about, the realization & true essence of the genre. With the return of my friend, right hand man & horn playing partner Joe Stahl (whom I have had the pleasure of playing along side since the 8^th grade) along w/ Joey Baron the 3^rd conceptual partner of Psycho Funk Rock (18 years by my side), Ed Marshall Bass player (Freak Party alum) & Willie Kilday (guitar guru & 5^th conspirator) the vision has been realized. Beware the pieces are in place, the gears are in motion, this freight trains has no reverse & all lights are green. You better duck & cover here comes the boom !!

- Joseph Riggio

President & Founder